Staff Reporter:
The High Court on Thursday cleared the way for the government to award the operation of the New Mooring Container Terminal at Chattogram port to UAE-based company DP World under a public–private partnership arrangement.
A single-member bench of Justice Zafar Ahmed discharged the rule issued earlier on a public interest writ petition, effectively declaring the government move legal.
The writ petition was filed by Mirza Walid Hossain, president of the Bangladesh Juba Arthanitibid Forum, challenging the decision to hand over terminal operations to a foreign operator.
Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) lawyer Helal Uddin Chowdhury said the ruling had paved the way for foreign investment of around Tk24,600 crore, describing it as one of the largest potential investments in Bangladesh’s port sector.
He said the New Mooring Container Terminal had been operated for the past 15 years by Saif Powertec with an investment of about Tk23 crore. DP World, in partnership with Chattogram Dry Dock Limited, is expected to invest several thousand crore taka to operate and expand the facility.
Barrister Md Anwar Hossain, counsel for the writ petitioner, said they would challenge the verdict before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, Bandar Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, a BNP-affiliated organisation, announced a shutdown of operations at Chattogram port on Saturday and Sunday. At a press conference in the port city, the group demanded that the government cancel agreements with foreign companies for controlling container terminals at the port.
The matter had earlier seen conflicting judicial opinions. On 4 December, a HC bench comprising Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Fatema Anwar delivered a split verdict. Justice Fatema Najib, the senior judge, declared the contract process illegal, while Justice Fatema Anwar upheld its legality. Following the split decision, the case was referred to the chief justice, who later assigned a new bench to resolve the issue.
Several senior lawyers, including Barrister Muhammad Jamiruddin Sircar, Advocate Ahsanul Karim, Barrister AH Mahbub Uddin Khokan and Barrister Kayser Kamal, represented the writ petitioners during the hearing, while Barrister Nasir Uddin Ahmed Ashim argued on behalf of berth operator Shahdat Hossain.
On 30 July 2025, another HC bench had issued a rule asking why the contract process should not be declared beyond legal authority. Hearings on that rule concluded on 25 November before the split verdict was delivered.
The previous Awami League government had taken a policy decision to appoint foreign operators to run the New Mooring Container Terminal, with DP World emerging as a potential candidate. After the fall of the Awami League regime, the interim government revived the initiative, once again showing interest in appointing a foreign operator.
